In their latest endeavor PARLOUR GAME, violinist Jenny Scheinman and drummer Allison Miller dig into the rootsier elements of jazz along with the formidable pianist Carmen Staaf and bassist Tony Scherr. The repertoire explores swing, gogo, backbeats and ballads. Scheinman and Miller are both artists with eclectic backgrounds having collaborated with such diverse musicians as Bill Frisell, Brian Blade, Ron Miles, Nels Cline, Jason Moran, Lucinda Williams, Natalie Merchant, Toshi Reagon, and Rene Rosnes. In PARLOUR GAME they explore the classic format of the piano quartet and strive for excellence in simplicity -- the perfect groove and a melody that sticks.
West Coast native and Eugene resident Todd Sickafoose is a musical visionary. JazzTimes calls him “thoroughly original” and “endlessly creative,” the San Francisco Chronicle calls him “a captivating improviser, imaginative composer, and master of collaboration,” and the magazine Bass Player calls him “stunningly brilliant.” He’s worked with an array of amazing performers – The New Yorker has referred to him as “Ani DiFranco’s secret weapon” and he is the Tony Award-winning orchestrator and music producer of Anais Mitchell's current Broadway hit Hadestown.
Tonight’s concert will be a hometown performance of BEAR PROOF, an hour-long piece commissioned by Chamber Music America. Todd describes the music, which he composed specifically for this octet version of Tiny Resistors, as “a wordless portrait of booms and busts in California.” Tiny Resistors are an all-star ensemble featuring musicians who have played with an astounding range of musical innovators, from Lou Reed to Lucinda Williams, Bill Frisell to Norah Jones, Tin Hat to Dr. Lonnie Smith.